


The Sweetest of Words

by ironbullsvitaar (outtathisworld)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Angst, Cultural Differences, F/M, Kissing, Sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 23:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29990253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outtathisworld/pseuds/ironbullsvitaar
Summary: What started the fight was a look between her and Alistair, something warm… and friendly. Solona wasn’t attracted to Alistair, she found him way too sweet for her, but she did appreciate her fellow Grey Warden. Alistair understood that.Sten, however, didn’t. “I understand you have become friendly with the other Grey Warden.” the man had started. “Why have you not bedded him yet?”
Relationships: Female Amell/Sten (Dragon Age), Sten/Female Warden (Dragon Age)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	The Sweetest of Words

**Author's Note:**

> For [ Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold's](https://archiveofourown.org/users/manka/pseuds/Cartadwarfwithaheartofgold) prompt: “You can’t keep hurting me and then demand I apologize instead!" Sten/Warden?
> 
> I only used a part of the prompt, oops.
> 
> Title from Florence + The Machine song "Hardest of Hearts"

What started the fight was a look between her and Alistair, something warm… and friendly. Solona wasn’t attracted to Alistair, she found him way too sweet for her, but she did appreciate her fellow Grey Warden. Alistair understood that.

Sten, however, didn’t. “I understand you have become friendly with the other Grey Warden.” the man had started. “Why have you not bedded him yet?”

Solona was confused. “What?” she asked, uncertain.

“He is your friend, is he not? Why are you not seeing to his needs, like you are seeing to mine?” Sten asked, his tone unreadable as usual.

“I… I don’t sleep with my friends.” Solona said, hesitant.

“Yet I am your friend, and you sleep with me.” he said, watching her closely.

“That’s different.” Solona answered, glancing at him warily. These kinds of conversations with Sten always made her head hurt. “I am not attracted to Alistair.”

“Why does that matter?” he asked, looking confused.

Solona stared at him. “Excuse me?”

“Why does this ‘attraction’ matter? He has a need you can take care of.” Sten said, as if stating a fact.

They were not lovers, Solona knew that, had tried to accept that. They were… she didn’t actually know what they were. There were no lovers under the Qun, when there was a sexual need, a Tamassran would take care of it. Here, there were no Tamassrans, so Sten had asked her to…

“Is that what you see me as? A tool?” Solona asked, her voice wavering. She was not sure why she was this upset, they were just… friends, who fucked sometimes. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

But that wasn’t it, was it. Solona had been a fool. 

Sten frowned at her. “We are all tools.” 

Solona pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed at his answer. It was her own fault for falling for a Qunari. She shouldn’t have allowed herself this. And yet… she remembered his arms around her, making her feel safe. His cock inside her, making her feel wanted, alive… and his.

But maybe they were just too different, maybe the relationship between them had been doomed from the start.

“Warden…” Sten started, but Solona shook her head. It hurt. It hurt that he felt so little for her.

“I-... I have to go…” Solona said, holding back tears.She would bury this feeling deep inside her, and never let it out. Later she’d tell Sten to go find someone else to warm his bed, even though the thought of not being in his bed anymore hurt her.

To her surprise, Sten grabbed her arm, not letting her leave. “What is wrong, Kadan?” he asked, frowning.

“Let me go!” Solona answered, her voice strangled by tears. She just wanted to go to her tent, to lick her wounds in peace.

“Answer me!" Sten growled, not letting her go.

“It’s not how we do things!” Solona cried out. “Or it’s not how I do things."

"Under the Qun…" Sten began.

"Fuck the Qun!" Solona shouted, tears of finally falling down her cheeks. “I… I have sex with people I cherish! People I’m attracted to. People I…” she stopped herself and looked away. For a moment they just stood there, Solona crying silently and Sten holding on to her bicep, not allowing her to leave. 

"You do not know what you are saying." Sten suddenly said, breaking the silence that had fallen between them.

“What?” Solona croaks.

“Under the Qun, we do not satisfy our needs with our friends…” Sten began, but Solona didn't let him finish.

“Oh, fuck you!” Solona shouted, anger raising its ugly head. Now she wasn’t even his friend? She tried to get out of his grip, but his hold held firm. He used his hold on her to tug her close, against his chest.

“I have upset you, Warden. It was not my intention.” Sten said oddly softly, holding her struggling form close.

“Fuck your intention! You can’t keep hurting me like this, and expect me to stay. Let me go!” Solona shouted.

“Only if you promise to stay, and actually listen to me.” Sten growled, not letting her go. When she didn’t stop struggling, he whispered: “Please, Kadan.”

Solona stilled, and looked up at him. He said that word so… tenderly. She sighed, and when Sten let her go, she took a step back, but stayed.

"Then tell me." she whispered, looking at him, suddenly feeling… hopeful.

"I-... Without the Qun, I would be a monster." Sten said, conviction and certainty in his voice.

Solona frowned. "What do you mean?" 

"I killed that family with my bare hands. Without hesitation. Only the Qun can keep that monster chained." Sten answered, looking at her steadily.

“So you can’t love me because it will turn you into a beast?” Solona said hesitantly, trying to understand what the other was saying.

“No, Kadan. I do not know what this ‘love’ is but… I care about you, perhaps more than is proper. I cherish you and together, we will defeat the Blight.” he said, his voice full of… regret.

“What about after the Blight? What will you do then?” Solona asked, her heart filling with dread. 

“I-... I must return to Par Vollen. Here… there are too many temptations.” Solona looked at him. her heart breaking in her chest. She stepped back in close. Sten rested his forehead against hers.

“You… I… I almost regret giving you your sword back.” she mumbled, closing her eyes. 

“Let us enjoy the time we have together, Kadan.”

Solona let out a shuddering breath. Silently, tears fell once again. "I… Yes." There was no other option for her, in the end she was not ready to let him go. He kissed her sweetly and together they walked to their tent.


End file.
